£300k funds to aid victims of crime

MORE than £300,000 has been secured to support victims of crime and domestic violence in North Yorkshire.

Julia Mulligan, Police and Crime Commissioner for North Yorkshire, bid for the funding from the Ministry of Justice, which will provide extra support to victims of domestic and sexual violence, provide counselling and therapies to victims of serious crimes, and offer support and advice to frequently-targeted victims of violence, hate crime and antisocial behaviour.

The announcement follows the release of figures which show an increased conviction rate for perpetrators of domestic violence in York and North Yorkshire.

Mrs Mullligan said: “This extra funding is excellent news that will enable even more victims of some of the most damaging crimes imaginable to come to terms with their experiences and start recovering.

“Over the last few years, the number of people coming forward to report these sorts of crimes has risen, yet until now there has been no secure, dedicated funding for this specific area of work.”

“As part of my Police and Crime plan, I am committing to do more to address domestic and sexual violence and combat repeat victimisation. This announcement is another important step towards those aims.”

She said: “This, alongside other, national improvements such as the introduction of the Domestic Violence Protection Orders and the Domestic Violence Disclosure Scheme will improve the response to victims of abuse even more.

The most important thing for us, is that victims have the courage and confidence to come forward and get the help they need. I hope the increased conviction rates and improved services encourage more victims to make that important, life-changing step.”

Editor's note: This article has been amended to correctly recognise DS Pearson's rank.